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Columnist: Josh Hamilton lacks mental toughness

Discussion in 'Sports and News' started by Dick Whitman, Sep 24, 2012.

  1. SoCalScribe

    SoCalScribe Member

    Kind of makes me think of Passan and the whole Red Sox/Valentine/meeting thing. Not that he was wrong -- it seems pretty clear that he was absolutely right on the money -- but Gonzalez, etc., hid behind the "I've never seen that guy in the clubhouse" bit. Maybe he was in the clubhouse and the players lied. Or maybe he just worked the phones from home and didn't show up. But I have always thought that if you show up in the clubhouse and get a few quotes it usually makes your enterprise seem a little more valid. It's pretty easy to ask a player a question and get some kind of answer, or at the very least get blown off and say, "so-and-so declined comment." Is there really an excuse for someone not coming to the park and at least trying?

    Maybe I'm out of touch.
     
  2. LongTimeListener

    LongTimeListener Well-Known Member

    When the ballpark in question is 2,000 miles away, that does provide some sort of rationale.
     
  3. Double Down

    Double Down Well-Known Member

    Part of what's bizarre about questioning Hamilton's "heart" is how silly it feels to rip a guy for not caring who has hit 43 HRs and has .946 OPS. I mean, the dude played the entire playoffs last year with a sport hernia. Doesn't that trump missing a game because of a sinus infection? It's nice to hear that Adrian Beltre is the Rangers iron horse. Josh Hamilton is still a slightly better player. Does he diva it up now and then and make all kinds of weird excuses? Sure. But when he's in the line-up, he's crushing the ball. If the Rangers don't want to sign him to $100 contract because they think all that stuff is a warning sign that he'll break down two years into the deal, that's totally understandable. In fact, most Texas fans will probably understand if you let him walk. Just say: We can't repeat the mistake we make with Alex Rodriguez, where we tied up too much money in one player. But that's a different argument. Right now, whether he makes excuses for his slumps or not, he's still one of the best players in the league. All players have slumps, some just make bizarre excuses for them when they happen. Give me a guy with no heart and a wife who maybe talks a bit too much to the press any day as long as he's got a .946 OPS. Is his recovery sincere? Will he always be at risk of a relapse? Who knows? Those are long-term questions. Right now, he's still really fricken good. He's a major reason Texas is good. The rest is just noise.
     
  4. qtlaw

    qtlaw Well-Known Member

    Josh Hamilton has overcome some amazing troubles to become an MVP centerfielder on the two-time defending AL Champs. Spectacular.

    Would I give the guy a guaranteed $120M? Um too risky and he, just like anyone else, is replaceable. Its not impossible that you find the next Trout, McCutcheon, Cespedes for say as much as $50M in expenses and contract.

    BTW, did you catch his effort going after that "double" last night about 20 feet from the wall? What is going on in his head?
     
  5. Versatile

    Versatile Active Member

    Your A's fan is showing.
     
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